By Nicole Guth

Special to The Ridgway Record

An answer to the age old question – what can my kids do on this beautiful summer day? – was solved with the creation of the Ridgway Summer Parks Program.  This summer, the program is back for it’s 11th year.
The program runs from 9 a.m. until noon on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays until the end of July.  O.B. Grant Park is visited on Tuesdays, Olsen Park on Wednesdays and Minteer Park on Thursdays.
The amount of children vary at the different parks but usually span from 50 to 100 kids from ages five up to eighth grade.
According to Stephanie O’Connell, one of the program’s supervisors, children can show up when they want and to whatever park they choose.
“All we ask is that [the parents] fill out slips with a phone number in case any one is allergic to anything or for emergencies,” O’Connell said.
The children have five supervisors – three adults and two Stackpole Hall students.  Sometimes parents also hang around to help, according to O’Connell.
Besides the typical park fare of swings and slides, the Parks Program also offers games and crafts.
Crafts ranged from making Father’s Day cards to bead work and craft sticks.
“We also have a karaoke machine but we only bring that out towards the end [of the program], because we don’t want to listen to it,” O’Connell joked. “I know that sounds bad.”